The Foreign Service Journal, September 2016

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2016 87 n Marilyn Janet Holmes, 82, the spouse of retired FSO Allen Holmes, passed away onMay 17 at Georgetown University Hospital inWashington, D.C. Mrs. Holmes was born in Paris, France, in 1934. When German troops invaded the country in 1940, she and her mother fled. In a 2009 interviewwith her daughter- in-law, Jennifer Ludden of NPR News, Mrs. Holmes recalled German planes strafing and bombing those who were fleeing: “You get out of your car, and you roll into the ditch, and you hope for the best. And the miracle really is that my mother man- aged to always make it so that it wasn’t ter- rifying, and always answered my questions about everything. And, as a result, I have never had a nightmare inmy life about the war.” Eventually, they made it to Lisbon, finding safe passage on one of the last ships leaving for the United States. In America, she devoted herself to edu- cation and cultural exchange, working for the U.S. Information Service in Cambodia and producing documentaries for newly emerging African nations in the late 1950s. In 1959, she married a newly com- missioned Foreign Service officer, Allen Holmes, and accompanied him to his first posting, Yaoundé. There she was able to complete her documentary projects and begin her adventure in the Foreign Service. Mrs. Holmes embraced each new post with insatiable curiosity and an aptitude for languages, making lifelong friends in the process. Her reputation for helping American diplomatic families adjust to life overseas, and her experience bridging American and international communities in assign- ments from sub-Saharan Africa to postings in France and Italy, brought Mrs. Holmes to the attention of higher-ups in the State Department. In 1980 she was appointed director of the State Department’s Family Liai- son Office. In that job, Mrs. Holmes was responsible for helping families confront a range of problems, including cultural and educational assimilation and long periods of separation. After two years she was recognized for her “extraordinary and invaluable con- tributions to the Foreign Service and the entire foreign affairs community.” One of her major achievements was negotiating reciprocal work agreements with foreign governments to allow Foreign Service spouses to work abroad. In 1997 Marilyn Holmes received the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Public Service Award for her work as executive producer of the State Department’s Video Production Unit. She was recognized for her innova- tive television news programs designed to keep employees informed on the latest diplomatic developments. In addition, she produced a series of educational training films on sensitive issues involving security and health. Marilyn Janet Holmes is survived by her husband of 56 years, Allen Holmes; her two children, Katherine Holmes-Chuba and Gerry Holmes; and four grandchil- dren, Nick, Olivia, Alexander and Aidan. n ClaudeWilliam (Bill) LaSalle II, 82, a retired Foreign Service officer, died at his home inWashington, D.C., on June 11. Mr. LaSalle was the only child of a sugar cane plantationmanager and his wife in Louisiana. Educated in demanding Catho- lic schools and steeped in the colorful culture of his native Cajun country, he rev- eled in books and stories of the intriguing politics of his area. Precocious for his age, Bill LaSalle grew to be a sophisticated adult who read cultures like novels and saw the irony and humor surrounding events of the day and the personalities of the times. A natural storyteller with endless curiosity about the world, he was a convivial traveler; and his warmth and humor easily drew others to him. Mr. LaSalle majored in English at Loyola University in NewOrleans, received a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylva- nia and taught for several years at Bryn Mawr College, FordhamUniversity and Northwestern University. In the late 1960s, he accepted consecu- tive Fulbright Fellowships to teach in then- Czechoslovakia and in Romania. There he encountered U.S. diplomats and decided that a career in the Foreign Service would allow him to engage with the world in a way that wasn’t possible in academia. Mr. LaSalle served as a cultural officer in Romania, India and Indonesia. Later, as a Senior Foreign Service officer, he directed public affairs programs in the Netherlands and Zaire (now the Demo- cratic Republic of the Congo), and held several positions inWashington, D.C. He was honored several times for his contri- butions to U.S. diplomacy. In retirement, Mr. LaSalle continued his voracious reading and pursued his love of travel, food, wine and new experiences. He also was active in several philanthropies. Mr. LaSalle is survived by several relatives, among them Sidney “Buddy” LaSalle; a cousin, Yvette Romero; and a goddaughter, Olivia Wills. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Bill LaSalle’s name to the International Book Project; The LaSalle Academy (Development Depart- ment) in New York City; or College Bound. n Emily Claire Leonard, 71, a retired Foreign Service officer with the U.S. Agency for International Development, died of respiratory failure on April 22 in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, the city of her last posting.